Thursday, August 7, 2014

Uncle Ralph

Today I got news that one of my family members is heading soon to see Jesus.  News like this always brings two completely different feelings to my heart. One is excitement for him, for those that have gone before him, for Jesus. The other is an overwhelming sadness that is accompanied by a weight that sits in the middle of my chest.  This feeling usually trumps the other for a brief period as I think of all of the people that I love that love this man.  This particular man is the last of my Nana's siblings that still graces the earth.  And grace the earth and all those that have ever had the privilege
of being in his presence is exactly what he does.   I believe in a family when the last of a generation dies like this there is a sharp sword of reality that sets in.  The realization that those stories, those memories, those moments will slowly fade away with the ones that made them and told them.  That is how I feel about this man, this precious, gentle, amazing man that is preparing to meet his Creator.  I feel he holds the memories and stories of a family that we all love more than life itself and that as he slowly makes his way to heaven he will take with him a piece of all of us.